“

Pase Four

PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE

* September 3, 1937

Victoria Night Boat

VEXHERE is a world of dif-

ference between the day
and night boats from Vic-
toria to Vancouver.

The day boat throbs with
life, is bright with color.
There is an air of resticssness as
travellers wander from smoking
room to coffee shop or pace cease-
Jessly around the decks. The gulls
wheel interminably above 4 myriad
fluid facets where the sun catches
the ship's wake and the outlines
of the mountains are sharp with
the sharpness of newly broken
stone.

But al night the atmosphere is
one of gloom, almost of secrecy.

People come quietly aboard and
walk softly between cabins where-
in the voices are hushed. Some
few find their way to the smoking
room, there to sit silently regard-
ing each other. The solitary tourist
siands out in the gloom, cigarette

tip glowing. But the majority of
travellers are swallowed up by
those long rows of cabins where
fhe lights are dimmed.

One by one, those who do not
intend to sit up all night drift to
bed. And those who haven't the
price or begrudge the steamship
company the money for 2 berth
settle themselves in chairs and
lounges which, one suspects, have
been designed with the sole object
of making sleep difficult if not well
nizh impossible. - - -

*
Hi girl in the blue dress drags
two armchairs together,
spreads her coat over herself and,
looking |’ exiremely uncomfortable,
woos sleep. It is obvious that she
is wide awake.

Across from her a middle-aged
man wearing a threadbare brown
suit is already snoring audibly.
Wis hat has fallen forward on his
face. A button in his lapel mutely
informs the curious that he served

with the imperial forces during
the first world war. But nobody
seems interested, mobody cares;

not even the two prosperous-look-
ine businessmen conversing ini
loud, hearty tones by the pillar
who are discussing rearmament
and the Sino-Japanese war.

Oniy the girl lifts her head
wearily, her black hair already
tousled from her twisting and
turning in an effort to accommo-
date her soft curves to the hard,
unyielding confines of the chairs.
And it is obvious that she is not
interested but irritated. ‘The vet-
eran sleeps on, unconscious of her
annoyance, his snores synchroniz-
ing with the steady risinge and fall-
ine of the ship as she slips through
the night.

| A HOUSING
FOR THE.

PROGRAM
JOBLESS

By R. LEALESS

T IS about time that the

progressive people oft Van-
couver and their organiza-
tions banded themselves to-
gether in order to have most
of the money now spent use-

jessly on direct relief expended
upon useful work to increase
jivinge standards of people re-
ceiving starvation relief allow-
ances.

Tt has been estimated that $17.-
500,000 has been expended upon re-
lief in Vancouver since 1929. What
is there to show for {his money?
As far as the people are concerned,
with the exception of the extension
of the South Hill sewer and rela-
tively few other improvements,
there is practically nothing to
show. Certainly the unemployed
these days have nothing to show
but declining physiques through
malnutrition.

Wad such a sum of money been
expended upon a housing program,
8,750 homes could have been built
at a value of $2,000. Such homes,
yenting at the sum of $12 a month
would have brought a yearly rev-
enue of $1,260,000 for rent alone.
Jn fourteen years the $17,500,000
would have been returned to the
city.

At the beginning of the present
work scheme in July of this year,
there were 3,708 heads of families
on city relief and of this number
it is estimated that 25 per cent
are unemployables. The remain-
ing 75 per cent receive $1,027,562
a year in direct relief.

The men do not want charity.
They want useful work at a scale
of wages that will allow them to
bring up their families in a2 normal
way.

WIE men are asking city and
provincial governments for a
minimum of eleven days a month
for a man and wife and one ad-
ditional day’s work for each de-
pendent and child. Under this plan

Letters

aman and wife would receive $44
and a man, wife and ten children
$84 a month.

Such a plan would cost $668,112
more a year than direct relief,
making a total yearly expenditure
of $1,695,492.

With this amount the men could
immediately begin to puild homes
provided an additional two-thirds
of this sum ‘were furnished to
purehase materials. A $5,500,000
building program could then be-
gin. s

With such a program 3,000 new
homes could be built at a value
of $2,000 a home. Such a plan
would almost supply each worker
now on city relief with a home o£
his own.

On the basis of the city renting
these homes to the people at the
reasonable rent of $12 a month,
the city would receive a yearly in-
come of $432,000. In fourteen years
the $5,500,000 would have been re-
turned to the city in rents alone-

In order to have these homes
well taken care of they could be
sola to the people in such a way,
that their rent payments would
count as a payment on the pur-
chase. In fourteen years a family
could own itS own home.

Such a housing plan put im-
mediately into effect would help to
prevent Some of the present over-
crowding; it would check any fur-
ther rise in rents and would as-
sist in bringing them back to a
reasonable leyel, as well as helping
unemployed again to become use-
ful, employed people. z

Such a program and its realiza-
tion requires that a united move-
ment of the people be organized.
Such a movement would bring to
the fore people who could. be
elected to the city council; repre-
sentatives who would be most con-
eermed with the needs of the peo-
ple regardless of the howls of the
pankers and big business. In other
words, unity of all progressive peo-
ple and organizations is the burn-
ing need of the moment for the
solution of this problem.

From Volunteers In

By HAROLD GRIFFIN

Weither of the two businessmen
evinces the slightest desire to
turn in, although the young fel-
low by the door has dropped his
paper to the floor and is dozing
uncomfortably close to it; although
the older man on the lounge has
somewhat surmounted the discom-
fort of the wooden rail set at right-
angles across the middle and even
the girl in the blue dress appears
to have found sleep at last.

Only the young, bland-loolung
Chinese across from me and the
two businessmen are awake now. I
am feeling sleepy myself, but the
chair is too small to sleep in and
there is nothing more comfortable
in sight, or, as 1 know from past

experience, elSewhere on the boat.

*

id Neg policeman comes in and

closes the one window the
steward forgot. Then slowly he
circles the room and scrutinizes us
all deliberately and with a certain
solemnity. But he is looking fox

Woman’s Diary —

Children eae
Aid Spain gee Se
pain. version of the
summer months, Canadian
boys and girls have not for-
gotten the plight of the chil-
dren of Spain. This summer has
been no holiday for the Spanish
ehildren on whom the Fascists
have forced all the horror, priva-
dion, and heartbreak of war. Our
own boys and girls haye worked
to provide shelter for the little ones
who have been left homeless since
the invasion of their country.

The junior section of the ULETA

has already sent in $111.41 for
Canada’s Children’s Home in
Spain. This money was raised by

nineteen junior branches, and a
ereat deal more js expected. The
junior section of the Russian
Workers’ and Farmers’ Club col
jected more than $160 through the
pranches and the children’s corner
of their paper. A great deal of this
money was raised ~hrough the sale
of special tags.

The children of Hast Toronto
Workers’ Association have raised
more than $20 through the novel
jdea of street corner bazaars. The
last bazaar was preceded by a
colorful parade through the busi-
ness street of the neighborhood
when children with decorated bas-
kets went from store to store gath-
ering articles for the bazaar.

The children are busy working:
on models of the home for the
orphaned children of Spain. In.
order that children absent dur:
the summer months may partici-
pate, this contest for the best
model home is being extended un-
til October 15. Prizes of $10, $5
and $3 are being donated by Dr.
NW. Bethune, and the eontest is
open to all children up to the age
of 15.

Children in Toronto are collect-
ing tinfoil to be sold in aid of the
Spanish orphans. The coming

From AN ALBERTA MAN
BARCELONA

ELL, I’m here, but I

came very near to not
making it at all. A sub-
marine torpedoed our ship
off ‘the coast of Catalonia
and she sank by the stern in
eight minutes, taking with her 2
Jot of people who were caught like
rats in a trap.

Two planes were accompanying
us. The pilots had warned us that
a submarine was jn the * vicinity
and that it had already fired on
one ship in the morning, although
the torpedo had missed its mark.

Mike and IL stood watehing the
sea for about two hours and sud-
denly I spotted the torpede com-
ing and gave the alarm. It was
like standing on a4 manhole cover
when sewer as blows it up. in
no time the ship was nosé up.
Then the stern part proke off and
Sank, taking a lot of peaple
with it.

I fieured the ship was ne place
for me and made for 2 boat, and
we just managed to clear the falls
with a hatchet before the ship took

the final dive.
An American seaman, a Vien-
nese doctor, a Minnesota boy and

myself managed to break out the
oars and get the boat away, while
others in the boat pulled swimmers
out of the water. Two boys died
against me as I rowed.

Just after the ship submerged

crooks, not Communists, and only
the stouter of the two business-
men jiooks at all dishonest He
closes the door softly and leaves
us to the snoring of the veteran
and the endless talk of the busi-
nessmen, one of whom is trying
to convince the other that, while
it is perfectly in order for British
imperialism to exploit the empire’s
millions, Japanese imperialism has
no right to adopt a similar policy
in regard to Ghina. And under-
neath his ponderous arsument is
the steady throbbing of the ship’s
engines like a drum. =

Once the youns Chinese lifts his
head and a smile flickers across
his face. Then he turns back to
his book.

But not for long is it quiet.

A seaman enters on some ob-
secure errand. He-enters quietly,
but the door has hardly closed be-
Hind him before it is flung vio-
ljently open and 3a woman, some-
where in her thirties, comes in.

She walks quickly and her heels
beat a loud, erratic rhythm. She ~
erabs the seaman by the arm and
he turns enquiringly, a little be-
wildered.

“Quick,” She exclaims, still
hanging on to his arm. “The
purser. He is where? I have a

eabin, but now I stay with friends.
I want my money back. Come on.”
Impulsively, she urges him toward
the door.

“But the purser
expostulates. “You can get your
money back first thing im the
mornings.”

is’ asleep,” he

“No, no,’’ she cries, and her ac-
cent is definite but elusive, ~T1
must have my money now. Think,
a whole dollar and a halt.”

By this time the girl in the blue
dress is awake. So is the young
man. So is the older man on the
lounge. So is everybody, in fact,
but the veteran who still snores
undisturbed.

The seaman and the woman go
out, he telling her that she can
get her money baci in the morn-

that She must
The closing of
the door shuts off their voices and
the incident is left suspended, as

ing, she insisting
have it at once.

it were,
stir

with only
the drowsiness.

curiosity to

rAPHEN I realize, with a start,
how heated the argument be-
tween the two businessmen has
become. J
The stout man who was trying
fo convinee his companion that

IN THE COLD SIERRAS

Malagosto, strong and rude,
Keep this decent quietude.

May your steep and rocky trails
Glow urth heat that never fails.

ITills, by icy tempest swept,

Be like gardens, green and kept,
Lest the peoples soldiers know
Bitter chill and carly snow.
Melancholy autumn skies,
Dreary dark September days.

Do not harm the men who keep

Rifle under arn in sleep.

But up North, oh, i the North
Whence the fascists issue forth
Where the cross of black 1s put

By Rafael Alberti

Garnishing the bloated gut.

There let storm and sea-wind shake
Chattering teeth and bones that ache,
Strip the priestly robe and dress,
Chall the ugly nakedness,

There let wind and icy breath
Bring them soon the curse of Death.
Mountain Winds that swirl and sweep
Over Marichiva's steep,

Cut like burning lenives, and sea:
Chubby cheek and donkey ear,

Low hypocrisy, whose guile

Hides the snake beneath the smile.

O September wind and rain,
Be compassionate for Spam!

school season will see a rush of
new activity by the boys and girls

throughout the country for the
children of Spain.
In Cumberland, BC, boys and

eirls have done splendid worl in
4n organized way.

HE old argu-

Marriage ment about
Or Career. marriage versus
career came up

again the other day while I was
sitting shivering in the dentist's
chair, talking to the nurse. I for-
get how it came up, but she sud-
denly, “I’m known here as Miss,
put I’m married really, have been
for two years, but have to keep it
quiet as some people think Tm
selfish to do this.’

I was so surprised to hear some-
one agree -with my Own views
that I forgot all about having
teeth filled and asked if she regret-

ted going on working. She and her
husband bad accomplished more
in two years than they could pos-
sibly have done in five had she
not gone on Working. Besides, she
would much rather work at some-
thing she liked than be confined
to housework. I asked her if she
would like children and she re-
plied, much as she loved children,
she would not bring them into the
world unless she could be reason-
ably sure of a decent future for
them. And this, she felt, was im-
possible under the present system.

T heartily agreed witb her. If
only more people would look at
life from such a sensible point of
yiew, it would be a better world.

ALKING of

Childhood children, the
Inhibitions. oblsing nurse
also informed me

{hat some of the

children’  whoacauire this

have visited the dentist from ume
to time have been so spoilt and
unmanageable that she wondered
what on earth their parents were
going to do with them.

We all know that the dentist
inspires a horrible fear im us—per-
sonally I feel positively desperate—
but it is a result of life-long sug-
gestion by books and people that
nothing is worse than to have to
go to the dentist. Thus it is put
off till the last possible. minute
and we actually let ourselves in”
for more pain than if we went
regularly to rectify any small
amount of damage immediateiy.

Tf children were not encouraged
in the idea that a dentist should
be avoided at all costs, but rather
had it explained to them that teeth
need continual care and examuna-
tion; that this would save them
pain and trouble, they would not
horrible fear in the

by Victoria Post

what one imperialism could do
another could not do, is now en=
deayorins to drive home his yiew
that the fiehtine in Ghina is all
China's fault because. being unable
financially to develop her re-
sources, China should have let
Japan haye North China to exploit
the natural riches.

For the moment he has forgot-
ten Japanese agsression and the
imperialism so forcefully de-
nounced only a Short time ago.

The young Ghinese looks up
from his book, glances over at the
two businessmen and then back at
me.’

“They argue so naively,” he says
softly but distinctly, and his Bne-
lish is perfect. It is difficult to
tell whether he is addressing me
or thinking aloud. “In Victoria
we have already contributed $40,-
000 to our cause. We shall con—
tribute n=sch more. These people,”
he indicates the two businessmen
with a subtle gesture, “haye ex-
ploited us for a long time and now
they are afraid Japan will steal
their privileges. But China is
united now. Perhaps not as ready
as we would wish, but we are pre-~
paring for a.long war. We ‘shall
win in the end. Japan can’t con-
quer a united China.”

He smiles, and slances down at
tis book again. His voice seems a
long way off. ... 5

When I awoke the sun had al-
ready flushed the sky behind the
Worth Shore mountains. The two
businessmen were gone and only
the girl in the blue dress and the
veteran were still asleep.

The young Chinese sat opposite
me, still reading. It was impos-
sible to tell whether he had slept
or not, even to know if he had
moved. He smiled at me.

“You didn’t sleep?’’ I asked him,
and he countered softly, “China
can’t afford to sleep.

impressionable early days.

I remember when I had my first
tooth filled. My-mother had care-
fully explained what was to be
done, she said it would hurt ‘hardly
at all, so that I trotted off quite
happy and unafraid. When I ar-
rived there, I was sreeted by hear- :
ing a woman say, “Oh well, a fill-
ing is Often worse than extrac-
tion,’ and from then on I was
seared stiff!

Jf a child understands why he
should go to the dentist, and how
decay acts on his teeth and dam-

ess his whole body, then he
will not be so afraid, as most fear”
is of the unknown. We don’t know
whether we're going to be hurt or
not, and so it assumes terrific
proportions. Children are never too
young to haye these things eX 4
plained to them and the younger - |
they are the easier it will be for i
them to get rid of or avoid this
unreasonable fear.

x

FPHERE isa

What They ood book
on the market

Should Know. é
now for chil-

dren of all ages. It is called “Qut-
line for Boys and Girls and Their
Parents’ and deals with ‘every |
subject about which children ask
so many questions in a Very simple
manner, so that they can under-
stand why they live, and what
causes this and that and the rea
son for all things. Grownups can
Jearn a lot from it also, as it gives
the simplest manner to reply ta
Each subject —
js dealt with by a different author, —
so that the best authorities in
their fields are
compiled into one volunme. i

awkward questions.

own particular

The Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion

everything was eonfusion. The
planes were dropping bombs on
the position of the submarine and
all around men were hanging on
to pieces of wreckage, singing the
International with raised arms-
What a sight and what guts!

The ship was torpedoed only a
mile off Shore and not far from a4
good-sized town. The townspeople
when they heard the explosion—it
proke a whole lot of windows—
came out in boats and saved many
who might otherwise have drown-
ed. Afterwards, they eouldn’t do
enough for us im jhe way. of hos:

pitality. The papers here are full
of praise for theni-

Despite the, severe loss we suf
fered, there were one oF two
amusing incidents. A Finn was
floating on his back, waiting to

be picked up and reading a maga-

gine. Another man walked into a

boat fully dressed and smoking
his pipe: only to be thrown imto
the sea when the boat dra a
under.

@therwise, the whele thing was
anything but amusing, for we lost
a so00d ship, 2 valuable cargo, 2
fine crew and many pals. But one
thing it did do; and that was to
strengthen our determination not
to rest until the Fascists have
been driven out of Spain and the
people can build thelr new demnio—
eratiec republic as they were try-
ine to do before Hitler and Mus-
solini brought about this invasion
of their country. You don’t have

to go far to see some of the re-
sults of the Fascists’ “civilizing
influence.”

From C. J. MITCHELL
ALBACETE

T is over a month since f re-

ceived your letter. It arrived
the night we went Over the top
on the offensive in a big way- I:
haven't .been able to answer it
until now as we haye been con-
tinuously on the moye for 21 days.
We gained a lot of territory and
did very well, I am told, although
no doubt you know more about the
war here than we do, aS we are
only concerned with our particular
sector most of the time.

At present I am on four days’
leave at a rest camp. Most of us
here were about worn out when
we came out of the lines, so We
are geting turns about at the dif
ferent rest homes. [1m as thin as a
rake; must have lost 50 pounds,
what with marehing all night and
being under fire all day in the
scorching heat. It’s tough, all
right, but we have the satisfaction
of knowing the ,Fascists must be
suffering more.

Joe Jelly. was here
mornine= when he was moved to
a hospital for treatment. He had
his helmet smashed by a piece of
Shell the first day and has suf-
fered from concussion ever since.

Wolfe, of Vancouver, is also
here for a rest, alone with several
other Canadians.

until this